IOTA: EU-120 / CQ Zone 14 / ITU 27 / WAB: SZ48 / Locator: IO90hp

My introduction to Amateur radio was in 1946 when by chance I was introduced to Ted Meakins G3AAN who was reading a Short Wave Magazine during his lunch break. He explained he was a radio amateur and could speak to other amateurs all over the world. Seeing how keen I was to know more about the hobby he invited me over to his shack the following weekend, and then I was hooked.

I joined the Hertford Radio Club in 1947 where I met many keen amateurs returning to the hobby after the war. This period to me was the heyday of amateur Radio, with war surplus in abundance.

My interest in radio started at the age of four when my father would place earphones on my head to listen to the BBC. This was a battery set which he had built in 1924 called the 'Everyman Four' the circuit of which was in the Wireless World of that year.

I started my five year apprenticeship with the Cambridge Instrument Company in 1949 and was then able to purchase lots of radio gear from Lisle Street and other emporiams in that area.

When I joined De Havillands in 1954 valves were very much to the fore and remained so for many years. My other hobby was building valve audio amplifiers the 'Williamson' being one of many, so it's not surprising that I still use valve transmitters and receivers to this day and very reliable they are too!

The last valve amplifier built was the G2DAF linear using a pair of 813's, the valves I used were purchased in 1948 for 10/6d each.

I still enjoy using old equipment - Collins, AR88, HRO, BC221 etc along with the odd black box.

I relocated my QTH to the Isle of Wight in May 2010 and joined Brickfields Amater Radio Society (BARS) where I am currently Chairman and look forward to a QSO with you in the near future.